Automatic electric block system



I 4Sheets-S heet 1, J. A. CARLTON & H. 'L. JOHNSTON Patented Mann, 1892.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC BLOCK SYSTEM.

(No Model.)

qwitnao oeo (No Model.) I 4 Shgets-Sheet 2. J. A. CARLTON & H. L JOHNSTON.' AUTOMATIG ELECTRIC BLOCK SYSTEM.

- Patented Mar; 22, 1892.

(No Model.) I 4 Sheets-8heet J. A; CARLTON H. L. JOHNSTON.

, Wm ,2. N d .9 W 00 I Ri muwm 7 1/7 ,n u. a NQ M m a d S M M m m 0 u I m D... \M. N. E 1., I. T 14 J v m .KNFHUPHOO E U A o moro-ufnm, msumurun u c (No ModeL) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. A. GARLTON *& H L. JOHNSTON.

AUI'OMATIO ELECTRIG BLOCK SYSTEM. No. 471,525. Patented Mar. 22, 1892.

E HQ. H I

E II

UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE. Y

JOSEPH A. CARLTON AND HENRY L. JOHNSTON, -OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC BLOCK SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,525, dated March 22, 1892. Application filed Tune 16, 1891. Serial No. 396,491. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH A. CARLTON and HENRY L. JOHNSTON, of Atlanta, in the county of Fulton, State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Electric Block Systems; and We do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a system of indicating by the automatic making and breaking of electrical-lighting circuits the presence of a train of cars in ablock-division of arailway or the exit of said train therefrom and the resultant clearance of the block, which produces an automatic electrical-block system for railways, the elements of all of which will be hereinafter clearly defined, and their conjunctive operation fully specified as in actual operation, the elements of novelty being fully set up in the claims forming part hereof. Reference may also be had to our patent, No. 449,731, of April 7, 1.891. V D

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 1s a plan of the track-instrument, showing the operative parts and indicating the wiring in conventional form, all parts being in their normal positions. cross-section of Fig. 1 with the casing-top in place, further showing the elements therein.

shown. Fig. 3 isa side elevation of the signal-stand, one side of the box being removed, showing the interior and contents. Fig. 4 1s a side elevation of the rail, showing the depression-levers, their springs, and, by means of the lever, rollers indicating the position of the track-instrument relative thereto. Fig. 5

is a plan of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the depression-levers,showing same in the position in which it is while the wheels are passing over it. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the rail at and near the point of attachment of one of the levers. Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-section of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a view in somewhat diagrammatical form, the same being a plan view of the instrumentrequired for operating two block-sections of rail- Fig. 2 is a central vertical way. Fig. 10 is a plan of a switch, showing the wiring and signal, as well as a reduced view of the switch-signal instrument. Fig. 11

is a detail in side elevation of the switoh-cir- A is the instrument, which is best shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in detail, and its construction is as follows: The frame B is of metal, preferably of a form to carry the attached parts, and is secured beside the rail in any desired manner. The elements in opposite ends of the frame B are duplicated in reversed positions, but will be lettered differently by the use of superior numbers added to the proper letters for sake of distinction and clearness in the description of the wiring and operation of the device, and the instruments are successively lettered X, Y, and Z. The lever 0, having the armature c, is pivotally attached by the pin d to the plunger D, which has Vertical play Within the guides d, and is guided and held in perpendicular position thereby. Said lever 0 projects upwardly through slot 0 in the top of the frame B, being curved upwardly to pass through said slot, which slot is elevated in order to prevent water and dust from entering the easing; also, it is obvious that the sand from a locomotive sand-box would fall upon the upper rounded side, and be thus deflected and fall upon the ground. Rollers h are carried on the ends of the levers. The lever 0 car: ries a brush 0, which is adapted to slide over and make contact between the points a and 0 which are suitably set in and insulated from the frame B and are connected in circuit, as hereinafter described. Secured to the lower end of the lever O is a spring E, which has a hook e thereon and a prolongation of its end beyond said hook. The spring E normally rests upon and the hook e normally engages with a. trip 6', pivoted upon a pin, as shown, the end opposite the one in contact with the spring E contacting with or secured to the spring 6 which carries the contactpoint e and holds same normally in contact with the terminal 6 held in a block e.

. 0, through a converter J, if desired; whence It will be obvious upon reference to Fig. 1 that a partial revolution of the lever 0 upon its pivotal connection with the plunger D will disrupt the contact between the points e and e which contact will be instantly restored upon the release of the engagement of the tripe and the spring E. The object of this breaking and making of the circuit hereinafter described will be presently seen.

The eleetro-magnet F is connected in circuit, and when the lever C is moved so that the brush 0 will make a connection between the points 0 and c the said magnet will be energized and the armature 0- will be attracted and held thereby, thus sustaining the contact. between the points 0 and c and the brush 0?.

Sliding in. a: recess, 9, in the. frame 13 isa plate: G6,.wh-ich has a slot 9 therein at an angleetoits line of motion in: said reeess,.and the-plunger D-hasa pin d -engagingwith said slot 9;. The plateG is, connected with the lever C by a. rod 9: and its: motion, f=ro1na normal position is resisted by a spring which indirectly-acts upon the lever'G. Itis evident that any motionot the lever O on its pivotal point will cause-throughtherod 9?, a downward movement ofi the, plunger. The depression-lever H (shown in Figs. 4 to 8-,, inclusive); consists of three bars, h being thev levers and 7a, the connecting-link. The leverslt are'prefterabl-y curved, as shown, and providedion their ends with beveled portions h- 'andestraight portions hft, said levers h being pivoted t0 .the bar 72".. The levenI-I is pivoted ateach endto-the sides ofthe rail in such a position as will bring the bevels 72, normally in atposition relative totherollers hi, as shown inFig. 4. The levers hare pivoted to the rail by being seated in a recess in the, blocksh and-abolt h passed through both, the joint being covered.- by a washer It, said block be.- ing' then bolted to the raiL. Springsh hold thezlevers H: elevated normally,.said springs being bolted; to the rail-base, as 'shown, preferablya-nd havingtheirupward. motion lintitedv by. bolts h substantially as shown in Figs, igand 6. If desired, thesesaid bolts 71. may beextended upwardly and be inserted in-correlativeholes in; the levers h, and thus fonm guides for said levers in their motion.

The circuits closed by the'operation of the instruments X, Y, and Z by the successive passage of the wheelover them in the direction ofthe arrowl willibe lettered successively w, y, and awhile thecircuits closedby its passage in the opposite direction are lettered successivelye', y, andw. All these circuits .arealike. invconstru'ction, andlhence the tracing ofone of themwillasuffice for adescription of all.

The wire y connects with the plus line-wire it. passes throughthe coils of the electro-magnet F-' of the instrumentY to theterminal c of said instrument, and when closed the our.-

1 rentpasses the brush terminal contact 0 and thence to the light-circuit, passing along the track on poles, in a conduit or otherwise, as desired, until the instrument Z is reached, when it passes into said instrument and connects with the terminal 6 Thence the current would pass, if in contact,and it is only momen tarily out of contact, through the point e and the spring 6 to which said spring the continuation of the wire y passes into the block, of which only a portion is shown in Fig. 9 at right of the instrument Z, whereon is a red light, serving as warning to a train not yet entering the block Y Z from that end,

the circuit then passing to ground by way of the rail or otherwise. By tracing the lightcircuit y through, it will be seen that it is made automatically in theinstrument Y and '50 broken in the; instrument X on the passagev of the. train.

The: signal-standK consists ot a. polesor col.- umn, a bracket thereon carryinga box It, in which the incandescent lamp: and the red globeor red-glass-filled opening areprovided. On the top-of this boxis asmaller column 70, which carrifesashield 70 into, which the semaphoreJt may drop andloerconceal'ed when released by the demagnetization of the solenoid it, which is connected in circuit, and which will upon being energized elevate-the; semaphore through the pitman M. It isv obvious that the semaphore being red willwhen elevated show red, and the shield beingwhite only whitewill show when said semaphore is depressed.

The operation of this: device is asfollows: A wheel passingin the direction'of the arrow 1', Fig. 9, has brought the elements of instrumentY into. the position shown and made the circuit y, causing lights to burn therein and the red semaphore to show, as indicated conventionally in this figure, all of which has been performed in thet'ollowing manner: The wheel depresses the first depressionrlever it strikes, which is the one contacting with the roller of the lever O, and owing to the incline on the end of said depression-lever said lever O willbe partially revolved, which. causes the brush 0 to pass into contact with the terminals 0 and'c, and so completes the circuit through the-wire y. By its partial. revolution it has through the rod g and the slotted plate tial revolutionof the trip 6' and disrupted'the' contact between the pointse and e, and so broken the'circuit 0c and cut ontthe lights in the block X Y. The electro-magnet F will sustain the leverC in its position,,and, owing to the end of thedepression-lever being-cut so as to-clear the roller on; the said lever C,

an y n umber of depressions of: thesaid depression-lever caninmno-way eifect the instrument .untilsaid magnet is released by the disruption of the contact between the pointse and e (left) of the instrument Z in the manner as IIO 1 ground or other minus element.

hereinbefore specified by the passage over said instrument Z by the train,which will obviously switch in the light ahead.

Connecting with this device for indicating open main-line switches, or, in other words, a cut rail in said line, is a switch-signal, (shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12,) a description of which is as follows: A box M is secured to the gaterail L by a clamp m of any desired construction. Set in the bottom of said box are the contact-points m, terminals of the wires 'm and m the former of which extends to the main circuits 0 and the latter has a semaphore and light, or as many thereof as desired, in circuit, and is continued therefrom to A lever wt, preferably of non-cond ucting material, is pivoted Within the box on a pivot m and brushes m connected electrically, are screwed thereon in such a position as they will contact with the terminals m and m and make the circuit from main through signal to ground upon rotation in the proper direction of the lever m This lever has a metallic extension m which carries on its end an upwardlyprojecting wrist-pin, which engages with a slot in the plate m stationarily fixed upon a tie m and incidentally forming a bearing-plate for the gate-rail. Now it is plain that upon the movement of the gate-rail in either direction a correlative movement of the lever m will take place with the result noted above.

Having thus described our invention, what I we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

' 1. In adevice of the class specified, a lightcircuit cut in two places, one break held normally closed by a spring-terminal and the other held normally open, but adapted to be closed by contacts carried bya lever set alongside the track and adapted to be operated by a train and carrying an armature and an electro-magnet in circuit, so set as to attract said armature on the completion of the'circuit by the proper movement of the lever and hold it until the circuit shall be broken by the dis ruption of the spring-terminals by the passage of the train, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a device of the class specified, the frame B, secured beside the track, and the le ver 0, pivoted thereto, carrying a spring-brush adapted to close the break. between the terminal contacts set in said frame, said lever having a roller on its end and a lever laid alongside the track, adapted to be operated by a wheel of an engine and having an inclined end adapted to contact with said roller in its movement, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

3. The frame and the lever pivoted therein, carrying a barbed spring, an oscillating trip pivoted on the frame, and a terminal contactpoint and a spring-brush normally in contact therewith, all so arranged that upon the partial revolution of the lever said barbed spring .will engage said trip and bring it into forcible contact with said spring-terminal and then release it, for the purpose specified.

4. In a device of the class specified, the lever pivoted to the rail'and having movement vertically on its pivotal point and held normally elevated, the lower half of the free end of said lever being beveled and the upper half practically at a right angle to its length, a frame secured to or near the track, a lever pivoted on saidframe and having movement on the pivot in a horizontal plane, its free end contacting normally with the end of said vertically-moving lever, a contact-terminal carried on said horizontally-moving lever, and a second contact-terminal set in or upon the said frame in such a position that the movement in one direction of said horizontal lever will make a circuit through said two contacts, substantially as and for .the purpose specified.

5. In a device of the class specified, the depression-lever consisting of two bars pivoted to the rail at their distal extremities and having inclined ends and the bar connecting them and pivoted to each and held normally elevated by a spring, and levers carrying circuitmaking devices and adapted to contact with the inclined ends and be partially rotated thereby upon the depression of said depression-lever, substantially as and for the pur pose specified.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH A. CARLTON. HENRY L. JOHNSTON. Witnesses:

A. P. W001), S. M. W001). 

